


No One in the Universe

by Cap2theDark



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Relationships, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Older Characters, Slow Burn, Trauma, Years Later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:01:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24418543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap2theDark/pseuds/Cap2theDark
Summary: Angsty AU Ahead.You have been warned.Unable to transform into She Ra, Adora died after the failsafe had been activated. Years later, Catra is still coping with the aftermath, unable to find peace within herself. She decides that perhaps it's time she found somewhere new to call home. That is until a falling star grants her a wish.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 83
Kudos: 256





	1. The Wish

**Ansty AU Ahead**

**You’ve been warned.**

**In a universe where Adora was unable to transform into She Ra and died because of the failsafe.**

Chapter One: The Wish

The dark sky was filled with bright stars and moons; still, Catra only felt like the empty spaces between them. She shoved her chair backward and slammed her hands down on the round table the Council of Princesses occupied, “I’ve already made up my mind!” The room filled with nothing except for the held breaths of her years-long friends, desperately trying to lock eyes with hers. 

She did not return their gaze. She focused solely on the large double doors of the Brightmoon meeting hall and slammed it in her haste. It reverberated with the finality of her decision.  _ It’s done _ . Her feline ears twitched and could pick up the sounds of discourse filling the space she had left silence with her announcement. Melog had to pick up their pace to keep up with Catra’s long strides, sending her further and further away.

_ This isn’t running away. I have to do this for me. They’ll understand, in time. Some of them already must. _

In their earlier years, she was sure Glimmer, who had come to be one of her closest confidants, would have teleported to her side to offer her help. Just as she must have done for -- Her.

Her face pulse, always so vibrantly, before her eyes. Her golden straw blond hair, the kind and calming sea of her ocean blue eyes, and that stupid, half-grin smile that had her heart swell and break all over again even nine years later.

She raced out of the halls of the Brightmoon castle. Some of the guards seemed disturbed by her gate but did not move to stop her. She ran until her boots thunked on her ship, and she was out of breath. Her hurried step faltered at the ramp. She could not feel Melog’s ever presence aura by her side. She turned to see the burgundy cat cowed at the foot of the ramp. The blue wisps of their mane burning low. Their paws in front of their nose, which was set low towards the ground. They looked up at her with wide glowing eyes. It was something she had not seen in nearly a decade of herself. They shifted their head, not wanting to show it ‘ _ Me stay too?’ _

“Buddy..” Catra dropped to one knee, her white cloak covered half of her. She opened her arms to Melog “Of course not! I’ll always need you.”

The creature wasted no time filling the space; she allowed them in her arms  _ ‘Where go?’ _

Catra hugged them, “I dunno yet. But I have an idea of someone that could tell me where to start.”

***

The memorial site was centered in the meadow, first to be blessed by the broken Heart of Eternia. She was laid to rest among the thousands of wildflowers that bloomed in her death.  _ Her grave. _ In the years since Horde Prime had been defeated, they had enhanced the last defender of Ethernia's tomb into a refined monument. When contemplating designs, arguments went back and forth on how she would be depicted, but it was Catra that firmly announced that it would be of her. Adora.  _ Her Adora _ . Not She Ra, not even in her newest, blazing armor. Just Adora, as they all knew her with the First Ones symbol of the failsafe emblazoned with lights on her chest. 

It had been years since her passing, but staring at the statue, she created still brought a dull throb of hurt. She knelt and extended her hand to the placard. It hummed and glowed a blue light, displaying the words clearly in the dark, starry night 'Here Lies Adora. With a Heart Big Enough for the Universe'. It was something Glimmer, and Bow had decided on. Words she could see in her sleep. She closed her eyes and pressed her clawed hand into the warm stone.

Melog brushed her side  _ 'Why here?' _

She opened her eyes and imprinted the image of the stone Adora into her brain once more. She turned around and leaned back against the leg of the statue. She offered Melog a place in her lap, which they readily took. She draped her cloak over them and pet them.

Melog purred contently in her lap as she found the spot behind their ear that they loved. They did not seem content with her forgoing an answer to their question and nosed Catra's arm.

She looked up at the stars, her hand pausing "I used to say that there was no one left in the universe that cares about me. I felt like she was the only one that  _ could _ . Now, because of her, I have so many people that care. I feel like if I let myself forget, then somewhere out there, she'll feel like I used to." Tears welt up at the corners of her eyes, stinging them.

The cat in her arms put its paws on her shoulder and nuzzled her neck  _ 'Me love her too.' _

Catra hugged them. She was so lucky to have them. Years ago, Bow used to joke that the blue cat was a therapy pet. They were so much more than that. Catra gave a wet kiss beside their ear, "Hey, gimme a minute."

Their pupilless eyes caught hers to confirm but nodded and disappeared. Probably not far, but Catra felt alone enough, "Hey Adora."

There was no response from the inert stone. She was used to the absence of an answer.

"Sorry, I haven't been back in a while." She rambled, thoughtless, "Things with the Keep have been insane. Not to mention our most recent project of debugging Beast Island. That's still months of work underway, but Entrapta loves the work. Keeps the little Hordaks busy. It's a lot harder running a kingdom than I thought. I don't know how all the other princesses deal with it.

She shifted, laying on her back to better look up at the stars. She braced her hands behind her head "Scorpia's been an enormous help, as always. She's way more the people person. Besides, it's her kingdom, after all, I'm just signing the paperwork. I like the work, don't get me wrong, it keeps me busy and out of my own head. But sometimes I can't help but wonder what it'd be like if you were here.

Her eyes shifted to the statue, her tail curled around the ankle "I feel like I'm just missing this huge piece in my life. It's you, it's always been, you Adora." The Magicat moved a hand over her heart as it throbbed in sorrow "But I can't think like that because you're gone. You'd want me to move on and find someone who loves me just as much as you did."

Crickets hummed some ways off as she curled onto her side "So I guess what I'm saying is: Goodbye, Adora. In a few weeks, I'm leaving Eternia. I'm sorry. I know when you saved me and brought me back that you meant that  _ this _ would be my home, but it just doesn't feel like home without you." Her knees tucked into her chest, the tears coming freely now "I can't stay on this planet when," She choked "everything reminds me of just how much I want you back." Like spiderweb cracks on glass slowly creeping on the last word her voice.

The stone statue absorbed her tears as she wailed. Thick, hacking, wet sobs poured freely from her as she allowed herself this last moment of mourning. She clawed and the hard surface, clinging onto anything to ground herself. Her tail wrapped around her waist, comforting herself until her breath stilled once more, strangely calm. Her eyes were blood shocked red. She wiped the snot and the remains of her tears on the black bands on her arms.

Crickets continued to hum, and the statue remained warm but still, unmoving and uncaring. When Catra could see once more, her gaze returned to the sky, to the infinite universe above her that she planned to travel in.  _ How long did it take to find someplace called home? _ "Hey Adora, if you're out there, can you give me somewhere to start? Just  _ something _ . Doesn't have to be a big arrow or anything, but it is a pretty big universe out there, ya know? I just wish I knew where to begin." She waited for a heartbeat, then two. The statue showed no answers for her.  _ Of course, it wouldn't. _

She had braced her hands on the ground to push herself up when she saw a sluggish shooting star burn across the sky.

Catra's muscles froze in place. Her slitted eyes watched for what distant point in the sky was supposed to be her new beginning. 

But it did not stop.

The shooting star got bigger and brighter. Catra could only watch as it sailed closer. Only Melog's snout nudging her reminded her to react. Catra shot up and booked it, screaming an expletive as behind her, the star shattered the memorial. It sent shards of stone hurtling in every direction as an explosion went off. One impacted Catra's shoulder. Bone broke under the massive hit and knocked the breath from her lungs. She was forced to the ground. Screeching metal echoed through the meadow, and she could smell the smoldering of ozone. 

Melog cried at her side. They sniffed over her.

Her head was fine, clear of the fog in the aftermath of the explosion, but she screamed, trying to use her left arm to push herself up. Catra rolled to her right side and sat up, her head high enough to see the memorial wreckage through the knee-tall grass and flowers.

The only remains were of the statue's feet. The real mess was of the hundreds of yards that were once filled with the life that Adora had created, was now dirt, turmoil, and debris and a ship, not a star, that had caused it. Melog's mane instinctively turned red and broiled as she swayed to her feet. Adrenaline filled her as she sprinted through the field towards the Ship.  _ What kind of idiot would just crash land into her dead girlfriend's grave? _

As she got closer, she watched a humanoid figure leap from one of the broken windows. 

Melog phased out, making her invisible as she rushed forward. The figure seemed to hear her advance and looked out, trying to find the direction of her rapid footsteps. They had a weapon in hand, a sword. They called out, something that sounded like a warning before her weakened left hand slapped the hilt of the blade out of their hand. Her right hooked a haymaker blow to the cheek. Catra grabbed the front of their uniform, nearly hauling the figure off the ground. Her claws extended, and her fangs glistened in the moonlight. Melog dropped their invisibility. She was posed to strike, "Just who the hell do you think you are?"

The blond-haired figure held their wounded cheek. A strange look of recognition crossed her features "Catra?"

***

Adora expected the shift of every molecule of her being. All of the tests had prepared her for that. She had not expected a sudden downward transfer of momentum as she was pulled into a freefall.  _ She was going to hurl _ . The computer flashed and yelled red warning signals, "Ship, I need a visual. What in stars in going on!"

The Ship's screens displayed the quickly approaching planet that she was sailing towards "We seem to have teleported too close to the planet and have been pulled in by its gravitational pull."

"Well, pull up! We're gonna crash!" She yelled as she jettisoned forward, her seatbelt catching her and yanking her back into the seat. If it was not for the padding of her spacesuit, it would have hurt.

"Unable. Our rapid descent has burned through our heating shields. It has damaged my automated controls."

"Authorize manual controls." She took an immediate grip of the yoke and nearly wretched the thing out of the control brace to force the Ship into a stable flight pattern. She gritted her teeth from the force. Although she not nose-diving into the planet, it was inevitable that the Ship was going to belly flop "Send a transmission to base! This is Adora, the Ship is going down. I repeat the Ship is going down!"

"Unable."

She wanted to bang on the Ship as it flashed redder and hotter warning signals as if she wasn't aware of the dire situation she was in.

And then she crashed.

Adora could not remember the next few seconds. She was plummeting and stopping all at the same time. When her vision returned to her, the safety harnesses had released. She was on her hands and knees. She could not stop herself from retching her last meal profusely until she was a shaking mess. She wiped the spittle from her chin and stood up on shaky legs. She had the sense of mind to find where her sword had scattered during the crash "Status report."

"We have arrived at our destination." 

She rolled her eyes, "The status of the ship."

"The Ship has sustained heavy damage. Our oxygen reserves have been lost. Our engines have been damaged severely. And our communications system is nonoperational." At the mention of oxygen lost, she quickly scrambled to find her helmet only for the computer to alert her, "It appears the planet contains breathable air."

She sighed.  _ At least she had one good piece of news _ , "So your scanners are working, I take it?"

"Yes. I sense some lifeforms approaching."

"Shit."  _ She really was not suppose to be noticed on this mission _ "How many?" 

"Two."

She needed to confront them, and soon before they alerted more to her presence. She took the quickest route out, the broken window, and landed on the ground with ease, sword in hand. Her eyes scanned the grassy plains for the signs of the natives. She could not see anything. She held her sword at the ready "Hey! I know you're out there! Show yourselves!" When she did not receive an answer, she was about to contact the Ship to give her more precise directions on where they were coming from when-

_ Whack! _ Her sword was out of her hands.

_ Crack!  _ Her world spun on itself, and she could already feel the beginning of a black eye forming.

The thing that hit her finally appeared, and it was gripping the front of the suit. She did not understand what it said until her ringing translator picked it up for her. She cupped her cheek and stared up at the wild features of the native. She was a Magicat with wild hair tied up in a long ponytail. Her fangs looked sharp, and her claws looked worse and were posed to sink into her chest. However, once her initial shock faded, she could not unseen the pieces of a friend she had lost so long ago in this feral woman above her "Catra?"

With her eye swelling shut from the hit, she was forced to only find the details with one eye. She could not believe what she was seeing. Yet from the shape of her jaw and even her mismatched eyes, she could only think one thing "It really is you? Isn't it?" She tried to pry the iron grip from her suit, but it refused to move "Don't you remember me?" For a moment, she thought her verbal translator might not be working, because she knew that she was not speaking in Ancients.

The maybe Catra growled from over her and yanked her up higher, forcing her to lean further back and stand on her toes "What kind of a game is this?" She shook her, it was then that Adora noticed the other creature, a wild panther with a red mane that stood on edge and glared at her "Who are you, really? What the hell are you doing here?"

The looks and the questions really threw her. If this was Catra, she certainly was not the one she was familiar with. Which meant she had to getaway. Without the sword, without She Ra, that might be difficult. She had her training for a reason. She put her hands up in surrender, "Listen, I'm sorry. Clearly, this is a huge misunderstanding." Adora was able to regain some of her footings, looking to find her balance in the hold "My name's Adora and-"

"Shut up!" She could feel the acid in her word. Catra shoved her to the ground and stepped on her chest, "You are not Adora!" She pushed further into her sternum. Adora had to grab hold of her foot to relieve the pressure caving her chest in and the sting of her clawed feet.

She wanted to rebut, but she could barely breathe.

"She's dead! She's dead, and you just destroyed my last memory of her!" She motioned widely to the hundreds of yards of turned-up earth and debris her crash had caused. She felt a moment of genuine sorrow as the maybe Catra was openly weeping now. Her salty tears rolled off her nose and onto her bruised cheek. 

The blond's head raced.  _ She was dead here? How? Why? _ So many questions rolled through her mind, but there was one thing she knew for sure. She was here because this Adora was not.

Reminding her of her own mortal existence, the Magicat pushed down harder on her chest "You're going to tell me everything I want to know or I'm going to kill you right here, right now." 

The steel of her tone made her blood run cold. She was really going to kill her. She lifted her foot high enough to answer her, "Okay! Okay! I'll tell you!" She grunted, "But I can't if you're crushing me!"

She slowly removed her foot, and both she and the strange burgundy creature began circling her. She felt trapped between two predators "Who are you?"

Adora rubbed her chest and sat up. She kept her eyes on Catra, but her peripherals were searching for her sword "My name is Adora." Before the other could protest, she continued, "And I'm not from this universe."

That seemed to stun her. The circling stopped, "What?"

"I'm not from this universe." She repeated calmly. She slowly got up, showing her palms up in a sign of submission "I'm from a race of people known as the First Ones. My people sent me here from a universe that runs parallel to yours, this one."

Catra stared at her, her eyes still steely and slitted but no longer murderous.

_ That was good. _ Adora spotted her sword just to her right. She continued feeding her information, "We're from a planet called Etheria. Though I'm sure if you had an Adora here, then you must know all about it, huh?"

Catra scoffed, "What kind of stupid alternate dimension freak are you? You're standing on it."

That paused her, "Standing on what?"

"This is Etheria." She motioned to the scene.

Forgetting her task at hand, Adora indeed looked around. Besides the damage the Ship had caused, she was taken aback by their surroundings. There were thick, sky-tall trees and knee-high grass and beautiful blooms of wildflowers under a cloudless night sky with the twelve moons she knew of her home planet. She had never seen the likes of Etheria in this state, "Wow. Really? I mean, I read books that it use to be like this, but I never imagined it was _ real _ !"

The Magicat was clearly fighting a smile, "I can't imagine why the First Ones would send you to a place where the First Ones aren't around anymore." She took a step closer, "If you actually think you can distract me long enough to get your sword, you better think again."

Adora froze. _ Was she really that obvious? _ Well, it wouldn't matter if the blond could just get to her sword. She ducked and rolled past the other woman, reaching for her sword. An elbow cracked into her back.

She grunted, hitting the hit. She grabbed the hilt of her sword "For the Honor of-"

A clawed foot stepped on her arm. Teeth bore into her fingers, ripping the sword from her grasp "Sorry Princess, but I know all your little tricks." 

Adora tried to hit her calf, but the catwoman jumped the blow. She jumped back onto her feet and threw another punch, only to be dodged once more. 

Catra's fist landed solid in her ribcage.

It shook her, and Adora's next punch landed weak. She backed up, losing ground without meaning too. Catra was fast, landing hit after hit while she was forced on the defensive and could barely throw a punch back. Even once she had noticed that Catra was favoring her right arm, she could not take advantage of it. It was like she knew her next move before Adora did. It was terrifying fighting against such a familiar but wholly different and deadly version of a childhood friend.

She found her back to a tree. She thought about running, forget the sword and the mission. Adora's number one rule needed to be survival. She wasn't given a chance. The maybe Catra grabbed the front of her hair and snapped it back against the tree. 

Adora fell unconscious. 

Catra stood over her panting. She still in disbelief.  _ What on Etheria was she going to do? Was this really Adora? More importantly, how would she get her unconscious body to the Ship with a broken arm?  _


	2. Saying Staying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the First Ones Adora captured, it's time to find out if she really is who she says she is and what the First Ones are planning.

Asking Scorpia for help had been easy; she was always the kind of friend that would give and ask questions on the way. She could be satisfied if Catra did not have all the answers. She also widely avoided her announcement that the council meeting, acting as if it was all business as usual. Bow and Glimmer were other stories.

She had chosen not to contact them until the morning. She needed more information before bringing this to them. Catra had Scorpia find the maybe Adora one of the only suitable cells that they had not repurposed since their take over of the Fright Zone. She had set in medic Hordak to see to the blond's injuries and keep her asleep. After she had gotten her broken arm into a sling, she personally delivered the sword to Entrapta's lab. She stayed up through the night as the purple-haired scientist analyzed it.

Melog had fallen asleep on top of one of the warm machines. Catra didn't have it in her to wake the creature. 

After hours of waiting, Entrapta could only ascertain that it was more than just a replica of the Sword of Protection. They were one and the same. She could not verify it without a shadow of a doubt without the one they had buried with Adora. Still, she was not about to disrupt Adora's final resting place further to confirm it.

"It's her sword." Catra's eyes were puffy and dark from the lack of sleep "I think she's telling the truth. She might really be from another universe."

Bow stroked the stubble of his chin "If Entrapta confirmed it, it's entirely possible that she is. You say she recognized you?"

She nodded, "Yea." She took a brief moment to summon the Adora that she encountered hours before in her mind's eye. Before last night, she hadn't ever pictured Adora getting older. In her mind's eye, she only had the memories of their childhood and the seventeen-year-old that died in her arms. This Adora, she was taller than she had remembered, her muscles more athletic than combat-oriented. Her face had lost some of that lingering baby fat, but she could see the dimples of her familiar smile. The bump at the top of her bright blond hair "She looks just the same too. Just older, I guess. Our age."

Glimmer found a seat on her right side. She wrapped a careful arm around her "I'm sorry Catra, this must be really hard on you. Where is she now?"

"I have her in one of our containment units." The answer was robotic. She was half asleep.

"What?" The queen yanked from her side. Some lingering form of betrayal from their old days sprouting up. It hurt seeing that in her, "How could you have Adora locked up?"

It woke Catra up with a start, angry and teeth bared "I had to! I had to be sure that this wasn't some kinda trick! Like if she's the same as Double Trouble or some weirdo Horde Prime shit coming back to take revenge!"

"Glimmer, cool it. She's right." He put a calming hand on his wife's shoulder "We have to assume the worst for now." He looked towards Catra, always the more even-tempered of the three. He apologized for her as Glimmer blushed in horrific embarrassment for her outburst "She didn't mean it like that. This is hard on all of us. I think the best thing that we can do for now is to confront her. We still don't even know why she's here."

Glimmer rubbed the Magicats back, "Sorry. You are right. I am just freaking out." She stood up, nervous energy bubbling "If this is really her, what do we do? Like, can Adora really be back?"

Catra rubbed her tired eyes and shrugged. She was so lost. She had the same burning questions and no answers she could readily give. She thought after leaving childhood that she wouldn't feel so confused.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Bow put his hand on his hip. Glimmer looked disappointed but schooled her features "We'll figure this out, Best Friend Squad style! Speaking of which," He offered her a hand to stand up, which Catra took, "I hate to ask. But, are you still planning on leaving?"

Finally, an answer she had "I stayed this long to make sure that Etheria was taken care of. I'm not leaving until I know it's safe."

  
  


***

The Best Friend Squad arrived just as a fight had broken out. Adora had nearly escaped her cell, knocking out the medic Hordak and taking his key. Bow had hesitated with his net arrow, more shocked then he had led the girls to believe about the new Adora's arrival on Etheria. Glimmer reacted better. She teleported to the escapee and shoved her right back in her cell and cast a holding circle on Adora. Sometimes, Catra had forgotten just how quick and calculating Glimmer could be.

Adora stood in the middle of the room, trapped in the ten-foot by ten-foot magical barrier. They had stripped her of her spacesuit, unsure of what weapons or communication devices it could hold. She had on a simple white undershirt and shorts. Her eye was still black, but the swelling had gone down. Catra could not stop staring. Under the fluorescent light, she was unmissably Adora. She could spot the beauty marks, dimples, and freckles that she had burned into her memory. The only difference was that this Adora had no scars. Besides the scratches and bruises she had left the night before, this Adora was pale, unmarked skin.

Catra stood at the back of the room, by the door with her arm crossed over her slung one. Glimmer and Bow stood on either side of the barrier, their arms crossed similarly as they studied her.

  
  


Bow stroked the stubble of his chin "She really does look like her."

"Isn't she a little taller?" Glimmer asked.

Adora pouted, "I'm right here, ya know."

Bow leaned in closer, squinting "Did Adora usually pluck her eyebrows? Hers are very well maintained."

The maybe Adora blushed and put a hand up to cover her eyebrows "It was just something I was trying out! How would you even know that?"

"We basically shared the same toothbrush for years." Glimmer cocked her head to one side, sensing something, "Do you not recognize us?"

The blond dropped her hand from her face, "Why would I? I'm not from this universe."

The husband and wife traded looks, "But you recognize her?" Bow pointed to Catra, who had still not said a word.

She nodded. It was stiff, holding back, "Yea, from a long time ago, in my universe."

"How did you know her, where you're from?" Glimmer looked back towards Catra, trying to gauge her reaction to all of this.

Catra had eyes only for Adora but said nothing.

Adora did not answer at first, thinking about her words carefully before she spoke, "We grew up together... She died a long time ago."

"How?" Catra snapped the question, intense and curious.

Adora shifted, looking away, unable to maintain the gaze "It was an accident. A malfunction in the transport ship she and her family were on. She was thirteen."

"Where did you and the other me grow up? Why are you even here? Why would the First Ones send you to an alternate universe?" Catra cut right to the chase, moving from her spot on the wall to face Adora one on one.

Unable to meet her gaze, she looked up and away to some spot on the wall, "That's classified information."

Bow grabbed her uninjured shoulder and forced her a step back. He whispered in her ear, "Slow down. She's clamming up." 

Glimmer had no qualms escalating the situation. She addressed Adora with all of the authority of the monarch she had become "You have to realize the situation you're in here. You're stranded on my planet. Your ship is in ruins. And most importantly, you are our prisoner. Until you answer our questions truthfully, you will be held here." Glimmer's hands moved, forming another intricate magic circle at her palm, pointing it to Adora, "If you don't want to answer willfully, we have other means of making you talk."

Adora visibly stiffened and crossed her arms over her chest. She contemplated a moment before the magical energy from Glimmer's palm extended closer to her face "Alright! I'll talk. But I don't know you two." She lifted her chin up, facing the danger on Glimmer's magic headlong, "I'll only speak to Catra, alone."

"Fine." Catra was not hesitant.

Her friends threw her concerning looks, "I don't know if that's the best idea.." Bow's brows knitted together.

"Are you sure?" Glimmer took her hand, searching Catra's mismatched eyes for any sign of doubt.

Catra nodded and pulled them away from the barrier, lowering her tone "I can handle it. You guys take a team. Bring Entrapta, search her ship. Make sure her story checks out."

Glimmer hugged her, "Okay, we will, but we're here for you." She pressed their foreheads together "You don't have to do this alone."

Catra patted Glimmer's hand on her cheek, "I know."

The two left, leaving the two women alone. Catra pulled her cloak tighter over her sling. Her lips tried to move, but she had so many questions she could not decide on what would be her first.

Instead, the blond asked, "So what is this place?" She looked over Catra's shoulder to the base behind her. The open center of it showing halls of the repurposed cells, now housing rooms for the Hordaks.

Catra should be asking the questions, but establishing trust both ways did not seem like a bad idea either "This is Greyskull Keep. It used to be a territory of Horde Prime called the Fright Zone." She paused, unsure of whether to continue "It's where we grew up. Or- I guess where my Adora and I grew up."

Adora looked outside now, more wistful as if imagining "Greyskull, huh? Still a little ominous but better than the Fright Zone."

That drew the feline's brow up "You don't know the name? Greyskull I mean?"

She shook her head, "Not really, should I?"

"What do you say then? When you become She Ra?"

Surprise dawned on Adora's face, "Right, you would know about that.." She sighed," 'For the Honor of One.' That's what I say." 

The pause there afterward was awkward and too long. 

Adora continued speaking to fill the space "They said it didn't really matter what I said. Just as long as it filled me with 'conviction.' And, I dunno. My whole life is 'Being a protector of the First Ones.' "She rubbed her neck "I'm kinda boring otherwise."

Catra pinned her with just a look. She felt like if she blinked, she would disappear. She did so only to prove a point to herself.  _ She's still there _ .

Adora did not seem to enjoy the stilled air. She squirmed in the humidity of it.

"The last thing I would describe you as is boring." The feline tiptoed to the edge of the barrier and took a seat. She patted the ground signaling the blond to follow suit. She did. Their knees nearly touched "Why did the First Ones send you here?"

The blond winced "That's a big one."

"You said you would answer my questions." She reminded her pointedly.

"Well, I didn't think you would just ask  _ that _ right away."

Catra's voice raised without her consent, "Well, maybe  _ you _ don't know me as well as you think you do!" The hairs at the back of her neck stood, agitated. She soothed them down and regained her composure, "Sorry." Catra's eyes dropped to her lap. She scratched her arm. She was still suspicious of her. Her heart told her one thing, to trust this Adora. Her head, on the other hand, told her to run. It was dangerous. This Adora would be the end of her. 

"It's okay." Adora eventually replied, "I shouldn't have assumed that it'd just be okay talking with just you." She laughed, it felt bitter "I guess I just had my head stuck where we were thirteen again. It was just you and me, and we were- ha,  _ invincible _ ." She found Adora's ocean blue again, and like the tides, they drew her in. There was a conflict in them, something she was fighting to see "You're almost like a different person."

"I am a different person."

"No, I mean," She huffed, "I  _ know _ ." Adora resigned, "But it doesn't change the fact that I still care about you."

Catra reflectively bared her fangs, "You can't. You don't know me." Her tail whipped behind her, and she sunk her own claws into her arm.

"I do know you!" Adora fisted her shorts "I know that you care more than you ever let on! You pretend that you don't have any goals or ambitions because you're constantly afraid that you won't achieve them. That you won't be good enough." She reached against the barrier, towards Catra's face, "And you cry so much. You try to hide it, but when we were kids, I always knew where you'd go. You like the dark. Somewhere dark and warm in a confined space where no one could reach you." Adora thumbed the barrier.

Catra was crying. She could feel the ghost touch of Adora's hand wiping it away.

"But you'd let me in because I'd promise that we would always look after each other." Her hand dropped from the barrier, "I hate seeing you cry."

"I know." Catra admitted and cleared her face of tears. Her head and heart hurt. She couldn't face her and watch her be the same Adora she had loved nearly a decade ago. It wasn't supposed to be like this. She had said goodbye, and she  _ had meant it _ , "What do you want, Adora? Because if you just want to go back to your universe, that's fine. You might know me, but you don't have any clue what I've been through." Catra stood up. She reached into her breast coat pocket and produced a keycard "There are ships with reliable communication signals in the docking bay three floors below. I'll have your sword sent there." She tossed the card on the floor beside Adora's kneeling figure, "Run back along to your First Ones. Just know, if they plan on doing anything to this planet, I will stop at nothing and  _ no-one, _ " She pointedly glared, "to see to the second fall of the First Ones in this universe."

***

A few minutes after Catra left, the magical barrier dropped from around her. Adora was still clutching the access card, kneeling on the floor. ~~Her old friend,~~ Catra, had just given her everything she wanted. A ship, her sword, a way back home. So what was she still doing here? Adora could not get those haunting blue/yellow eyes out of her head. She had hurt Catra, not this universe Adora. She had. Adora should not have called her out like that. She had already destroyed something precious to Catra, and here she was reopening scars and making her cry. It was clear that Catra did not want her there anymore, but it felt wrong even thinking about leaving.

She had to make amends. She couldn't just leave. Not when she had so maybe questions of her own. Things she had always wanted to say to her own Catra but never got the chance to. Something that this Catra would want to say to her? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. When did you ever get the chance to say goodbye properly?

She tucked the keycard into her shorts. Adora stood up and flopped in bed.  _ These were softer than the ones at camp _ .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the great support thus far! I had to rewrite this chapter. A lot. I'm still not sure if I like every aspect of it, but I'd love to hear your impressions of it.


	3. Pallemagio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra's long day hasn't ended just yet. She needs a drink. She gets an eyeful instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a note, I am totally going into some outfit details for this chapter. Don't flame me for it XD More of a fanservice chapter for those of you that have stuck around and enjoyed (cried) so far.

Melog had found Catra in the cafe/bar/lounge/rec room. In the redesign of Greyskull Keep, some of the larger areas ended up becoming social centers. With the previous Horde Force soldiers finding various hobbies with which to occupy their time, some of the training facilities had primarily turned into what Bow had deemed a 'pallemagio'. Mall for short. Catra could not find the least effort to care what it was called, especially not at this time. She was at the bar, dark circles still hung under her eyes. She was nursing a drink. The burgundy cat hopped into a stood beside her. She scratched their head, "Hey Buddy, how was your nap?"

_ 'Click-clank metal warm. _ '

Her smile was weak, but there "I know it is. Nothing like a nap in the warmth." She took another sip of her drink.

_ 'You, sleep. _ ' Melog insisted, butting their nose into her arm.

She nodded, "That's what this is for." She polished off the last of her drink, "Hordak! 'Nother one, and you got some milk for Melog?"

"Of course, little sister! We keep an assortment of nutritious liquids." The bar Hordak, dressed in a much too formal suit and bowtie, winked at them. It was something that Wrong Hordark had gone around teaching, and after years of it, Catra could no longer be phased by the odd social cues.

She felt a giant, red claw settle on her shoulder "Maybe you should cut the boss off after that one chief."

Catra turned her head and watched as Scorpia took the seat beside her that wasn't being occupied by Melog "Hey, what are you doing here? Thought you would've gone with Glimmer and Bow to the ship scouting mission."

"Oh, yea, I thought about going, but they seemed to have a handle on things, and I thought me and my wildcat could talk." She nudged her as Hordak brought her her drink and a saucer of milk for Melog.

She sighed "Listen Scorpia, we should talk about my announcement of retirement, but I've had a long day and a few drinks-"

Scorpia shook her claws, interrupting her "Nooo! Not that. I mean about this whole different universe, Adora thing."

Catra's ears flatted, and she sipped her drink. It wasn't exactly a conversation she wanted to indulge ether in, but she conceded, "What about it?"

With her reluctant permission granted, Scorpia dove right into her most likely practiced speech "Well, hearing all about it, it got my head spinning so I couldn't even imagine what it must be doing to yours. I mean, wow, it's not every day someone comes popping into the universe. Unless you count babies, I, of course," She shook her head, "Sorry, back on topic." Her tone turned to a rare serious note "I can see how this has affected you, and Glimmer even said that you were going to stay on Etheria until this all gets resolved. And I know that's not what you want. I get that."

Catra gripped her drink, but her eyes were trained on Scorpia from the side, "You do?"

"What kind of a best friend would I be if I didn't? I mean, I've seen this coming for a while now. And I always knew when you started helping me rebuild the Keep that eventually I'd have to start doing all the princess stuff on my own. Don't worry, Perfuma's been a really great help on that end." She slung her arm around Catra's shoulders. She might have winced if the alcohol hadn't dulled the pain of her injury "But that wasn't what I really wanted to talk to you about. I just thought with this Adora around, this could be a really great chance for you!"

The Magicat's brows knitted together, "What do you mean?"

"When Adora died, did you get to say everything you wanted to?" Catra didn't think of Scorpia as heartless, far from it. But the woman knew how to go for the throat.

"Yes?" She finally answered, "No." She admitted. Her shoulders shrunk as she stared down at the amber liquid in her hand "There wasn't much time."

Her friend nodded and pulled her (and her chair) closer to her large, half-exoskeletal frame, "I know wildcat. I know. Sometimes, you just don't get the time you need to say everything you want to. But I think if you really want to leave Etheria and go find someone that'll love you more than I do. Which is crazy because I love you to bits. I think you should lay it all out there."

The last squeeze was too much, and she shoved at Scorpia's chest, wincing from the pain, "I will be in bits if you don't loosen up."

"Sorry!" Scorpia retracted her arms.

She sighed, contemplating her second in commands words, "Even if you're right, it seems kind of..  _ Bad? _ It's not like this Adora has the same memories of anything between us. Wouldn't it be kind of terrible to use her as an outlet for my personal drama? Why would she even let me?"

Scorpia shrugged, "You ever think that maybe she's going through the same thing? I mean, she lost her Catra too."

She paused to reflect. She brought the burning liquor to her lips as she did. Scorpia did make a good point, but it was just something off the table "It's too late for that."

"Why do you think that? I mean, being a prisoner isn't ideal, but I'm sure-"

Catra waved her off and downed the rest of her glass. It burned and made her chest with warmth "She's not our prisoner anymore. Gave her an access key, had Glimmer down the barrier and set her sword to the docking bay. If she's not completely out of this universe by now, she's out of Etheria's orbit."

Scorpia did not look entirely convinced, "I haven't heard anything from Transport about any ships leaving."

"Security around here is so lacking nowadays it'd take an explosion in the wall for us to hear about it in under an hour." Catra got on her knees in the chair and reached over the counter of the car for the phone. She dialed for Transport "This is Catra. I need to know if any ships have gone out since I sent the sword down there."

"Oh, hi, Catra!" Kyle answered. She could nearly slap herself.  _ Give it a break; he's gotten better  _ "Um, no ships have left since Bow and Glimmer left, and the sword is being set back to Entrapta's lab as we speak." He said proudly.

"What?" She could not help the rising tension in her voice, but regained her senses despite the buzzing alcohol "Kyle," She said, almost sweetly "Why is the sword being set back to the lab?"

"Um," He sounded nervous. Even he wasn't oblivious enough to ignore her tone "Because the new Adora came in here a while ago and said that she wouldn't need it? And that we should return it to a secure location?"

She wanted to scream into the phone and _ throw him off a cliff _ . Instead, gritting her teeth, she asked: "And where is Adora right now?"

"Oh geez, I-I um," She could hear him cover the receiver. A separate conversation occurred briefly, "Rogelio says that some of the Hordaks hit it off, and they were taking her to the mall to grab something to eat."

"WHAT?!" She yelped into the phone.

Scorpia, with a shit-eating grin on her face, took the phone from her grip and pointed out the newly dressed blond headed in their direction. 

Catra was deaf to whatever parting words Scorpia had to Kyle. Another blond had all of her buzzed bewilderment and rage. 

With the help of her new Hordak pals, Adora had changed from her undershirt and shorts. She had on a tight, form-fitting top with short sleeves that fell off her broad shoulders. The shirt, if the Magicat could call it that, ended short. There was a tantalizing gap of smooth abs insight even with her waist-high white leggings with a ridiculous frilly gold skirt at her wide hips that matched her boots, there was a tantalizing gap of smooth abs insight. Even with a black eye, she was a vision of beauty. She was walking toward her. Her eyes remained on the tailor Hordak beside her, engaged in conversation. Still, she could see the minute flickers toward her. Adora knew she was there.

Catra could feel Scorpia gushing beside her. Melog had their eyes trained intensely on Adora's slow approach as well "Well Wildcat? Doesn't look like she's gone to me. But she does look out of this universe."

"I cannot deal with this right now." Catra crawled out of her seat and beelined for the exit on the opposite side of the cafe/bar- mall. Her steps wobbled. She had to lean on Melog's neck for a moment. The whiskey had gotten to her more than she had thought. She was past her tolerant for more than just alcohol. She hissed as a hand touched her elbow.

Adora smiled despite the weak showing of her fangs, "Hey, you're looking a little unsteady. Let me walk you to your room?"

She couldn't respond, didn't know-how.  _ Why'd she have to look so.. Perfect? _

Melog rubbed their head aside Adora's hip, playing with her skirt _ 'Let her.' _

Adora patted the burgundy cat's head, which they seemed more than happy to indulge in. Betrayer.

Too tired to argue, Catra allowed Adora to take her arm "Fine."

***

The walk would have been silent if Melog had not insistently barraged Catra with questions about Adora. She had mostly ignored it until she cracked, "I don't know!"

The blond had been holding back a fit of laughter until then, "Sorry! It's just, you're arguing with a cat." She apologized when she spotted a glare from the feline woman.

"Melog isn't just a cat." Catra bristled at the insult. Melog sniffed in agreement, "They're my best friend." 

"So, you can understand everything they're saying?" Adora asked rhetorically, "Must be some telepathic communication. Otherwise, my translator would have picked up on it by now."

Catra cocked her head, "Translator?" She looked to her ear, trying to spot the device but couldn't find anything.

"Yea, it's something all First Ones are implanted with when we're old enough." Adora tapped her throat "It also automatically changes our entire speech pattern."

"So you're just speaking in First Ones? How do you even pronounce anything in that language? It's just lines and dots." 

Adora shrugged, "How does Etherian make any sense? Magicats don't even have an official written language. They adopted a form of ours, but it's more an image-based language than anything."

"There's other Magicats out there?" She hadn't ever considered the possibility. Not as if pre Horde Prime had instilled a sense of racial community within its ranks.

"A whole world. You know, when we first met, the other Catra and I, she had told me all about it. She invited me to visit a few times, but I never got the chance."

"Why not?" Catra asked, her curiosity peaked, and the whiskey brimming in her veins didn't help.

Adora smiled, but it was only half there "She died." she paused, reminiscing, "Didn't have the time afterward. The academy had me so busy with training and classes. I always promised myself that I'd visit when I was older."

Catra snorted, "Aren't you like twenty-six? You are older. Why do you still need permission to go anywhere?" She did not notice the disturbance cross Adora's features as she put her hand to the scanner and opened her bedroom door. It slid open to her small, homey niche. She had her bed tucked into one corner in front of the window. The bed was plush with dark maroon sheets and plush black pillows. It was the one luxury she had allowed herself in the world. The majority of her room contained a writing desk with a massive amount of files, loose papers, and books. The walls were bare except above her bed; there was a corkboard of pinned pictures. Most of the showing the rebuilding of the Fright Zone into something she was really proud of. Melog hopped right into the bed were warm light was streaming into her bedroom. She turned at the door, bracing her arm against the door frame now that Adora had released her hold on her "In fact, why are you still here?"

Adora's eyes were past her, peaking into her room but returned to her face when the question was asked: "Am I not allowed to?"

She took a moment before answering. Her mismatched eyes looking up and down her muscular and soft form. It was the alcohol talking "I think you're too old for me to tell you what to do. I just think it's funny," Catra pressed half her face into the threshold of the door, and she laughed, unable to restrain herself "I use to tell my Adora to leave all of the time. To get away from me. I also use to ask her to stay." Her hand got away from her. She brushed her claw tips against Adora's forearm. She revealed in the blush she saw spreading across her cheeks, and the hitch of her breath as her hand traveled further up her arm. She traced freckles on her shoulder. The giggling escaped her more freely now, turning darker "If I begged you to stay, would you rush out of this universe just to leave me?" 

Catra's smile didn't leave, but tears welt up at the corners of her eyes as she waited for an answer. Waited to be rejected  _ again. _

It didn't happen the way she thought it would.

The blonde stepped into the threshold of her room and moved her arms around Catra's waist, looking for any signs to stop. Adora was gentle with her injury. Adora hugged her. Catra, despite herself and awkwardly having her slung arm pressed between them, tucked her head into the side of her neck. Adora rubbed her lower back, "Not unless you wanted me to." She pressed her lips into her hair by her ear "Do you want me to leave?" She asked softly.

Catra closed her eyes and sniffled, "No." Her claws reflectively dug into Adora's back, "Please, stay."

"Then, I will." She said it so naturally like it was the easiest thing in the world to do.

***

_ "This is Adora, the Ship is going down. I repeat the Ship is-"  _

The static continued unintelligibly for a minute and then completely cut off. The lead communications officer rubbed her furrowed brow. She wasn't going to like this. She swallowed, sweat formed on her lip and forehead. And she would have to bring her the news. She gathered the data, importing it to her tablet, and began the crawling journey to the Councilwoman's office.

She knocked on the door and spoke into the receiver, "Councilwoman? This is Communication Captain Mara. I have the lasted update with Adora."

She felt a chill run down her spine and a hand on her shoulder a moment later. She turned and was engulfed with the pale skin, white hair, and hood of the Councilwoman.

"Councilwoman Light Hope! Forgive me, ma'am, I thought you'd be in your office." Mara bowed her head, respectively, to the tall figure.

She smiled politely, "I was taking a walk." She pressed her hand to the door, opening it "Let's speak inside." She beckoned Mara first.

"Yes, m' am." The officer moved into the immaculate room with floor to ceiling windows backlighting her clean, neat, and precise desk. It wasn't the first time she had entered the room, but the sterile look put her on edge.

Light Hope lifted her hand. A small stool was raised from the floor, opposite the desk, "Please, take a seat." Mara usually preferred to stand. She took the seat quickly as the Councilwoman went to stand with her back to her. The hooded figure looked out the window to the massive cityscape that stood erect within the boundaries of her view "Captain Mara, tell me, what do you see when your look at this window?"

The officer gathered that she was supposed to say something clever or worldly, but she wasn't the type "Um, the city m' am. The people in it and the things they've done to make it happen?"

The Councilwoman tilted her head down, "Yes, that's true. Do you know what I see?" Light Hope continued on, not pausing for an answer, but she began to pace the window, never once looking in Mara's direction "I see this city as an emblem for our universe, the Alpha Universe. As far into the millions that we've seen, none have ever dreamed of attaining the goals of peace and prosperity that we, the First Ones, have managed to achieve for millennia across the entire universe. Do you understand that, Captain Mara?" She finally turned to face her, not with the stern and leveling look she had expect, but with something of open curiosity.

It made her shift in her tiny, uncomfortable seat "Yea, totally. M'am." She added the title as a forgetful afterthought.

Light Hope approached her deck, her hand on the back of her chair. She pulled it out but did not sit "Then you also understand the gravity of our situation?  _ Don't you _ ? You do realize that this mission and the ones to follow are of the utmost importance to keeping this city and the Alpha Universe alive, right?"

Mara's hung her head down.  _ She knew this would be bad, but it wasn't her fault. She was the Communications Lead Officer. Clearly, the Councilwoman already knew about Adora's status. She was not about to sit around and take the fall for this. _ She stood up "It's not my fault her ship crashed!"

She had not seen the guards had nor been aware that they had been in the room to begin with. She was forced back down into her seat. Her arm was twisted behind her back, and she yelped in pain. Light Hope tilted her chin up and caressed her cheek "Captain, please, control yourself. My men can she quite protective of me." Yet she hadn't called them off when they pulled Mara's arm further back, nearly causing her to spit and pant with sweat from the strain "Mara, dear, I don't need any more of these silly reports. I want answers and action." She pushed a loose hair behind her ear "So unless you want to be Sapped and sent to Housk to live out whatever eternity of nothingness is there, I suggest you get me in contact with Adora.  _ Now _ ."

“Yes m’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, sorry. Yea, the First Ones ain't good  
> But nice guesswork for those that called it!  
> That's a plus c:


	4. The History of Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You all for the positive responses! For now, just enjoy c:

The three of them laid in bed, tangled in the covers. Adora was going to have cat fur all over her by the time she got out of it. Adora sat propped up against the firm red pillows, brushing her fingers softly through Catra's mane. She had fallen asleep on her chest hours ago, and Melog had taken up residence on both of their feet. The blond wasn't tried, so she had busied her hands playing with Catra's hair. The Magicat purred in her drunken sleep, far gone from this world in dreamland.

It reminded Adora of the countless nights she and her Catra had clambered into the same bunk and stayed up much too late, eating candy and talking.

_ Catra had laughed at her attempt at a scary story, holding her gut and mouth shut to keep her voice down, "You have got to work on your monster voice, Adora." _

_ Adora pouted and shoved her tongue in her direction "Well, you do one better." _

_ "Fine- _

A yawn tore through Catra as she stretched. Her claws retracted out and dug into Adora's arm. Adora winced as the catgirl left pink lines of cut skin with her claws but did nothing to stop her as she continued to knead, lighter this time.

Catra's eyes fluttered before blinking fully awake. She sat up. Her hair was poofy on one side, and Adora had to giggle at the sight. She was glared at, but Catra said nothing to her until she reached towards the nightstand to comb her hair and tie it back into a ponytail. Not without some grunts of pain from her shoulder, "How long have I been out?"

Adora looked out the window, the sun sat high in the sky "Like three or four hours? Did you enjoy your cat nap?"

"Wow, that was so funny I almost forget to laugh. Haha." Catra swallowed, licking her dry mouth. Her eyes swept to Adora's form, studying her carefully. She found her sling that she had thrown off before she fell asleep.

Adora's heart panted in guilt.  _ She had caused Catra so much pain. _ Her mouth screwed together "If I had my sword, I could fix that for you."

Melog awoke and sat next to Catra. Their head stood tall, making themselves look more prominent.

Catra gripped her arm and stood, "You can go get it." She walked across the room to her desk, picking up some papers. Melog lowered their head, avoided eye contact with the blond "No one is going to stop you."

_ Shit. She shouldn't have said that. _ Things with Catra were still tenuous. The blond stood up, following the other woman half-way, "I know that, but I didn't mean it like that."

"Sure, Adora." Her hand and eyes still flipped through the papers on the desk dismissively.

Adora moved to the desk, laying her hand on the papers, stopping Catra from looking through them. She swallowed. She knew how she could make amends, but she couldn't offer it "I'm sorry. I just want to help."

Catra saw through it, she must have. She crumpled the paper in her hand "If you want to help me, you'd tell me what you know."

"Catra," She pleaded, "That isn't fair, and you know it." Adora withdrew her hand from the table, "You're asking me to betray my own people's trust. You have no idea how many rules I've already broken or how many people depend on me."

Catra wheeled around on her, "Don't even get me started with your whole self-sacrificial bullshit! I know exactly how you operate. You would do anything, give up your own life, for something you don't even understand!"

"Hey! You can't say that to me! I know my people. They trust me."

"Oh, really? That's rich because, from everything we know about the First Ones, they will go out of their way to make sure that you are on a need-to-know basis. And you were the last people on that list!" 

Adora backed away, every lash of Catra's tongue stung worse than any hit. _ She rather she was hit. She trained for that. She was not prepared for this: For the questions, she never dared think, let alone voice. _ Doubt crept into her pours and gripped her nerves. In a small voice, from her place on the shadowed wall, she asked: "Do you want me to go?"

"Yes!" Catra threw up her hand. Melog came to Adora's side, brushing their head against Adora's hip and meowed "No." She admitted and groaned, covering her face with her hand, shielding herself, "I already lost one Adora because of First Ones shit."

The blond's chest nearly melted. She stepped off the wall, scratching Melog's head "Will you tell me about her? About what happened?"

There was a long moment of contemplation for Catra. She finally settled in her desk chair, "Okay."

Adora took a seat on the edge of the desk, while Melog half climbed into Catra's lap.

Clinically, Catra began stating facts "Way back, the First Ones colonized this planet, made it their home. They sought out to harness the wild magic of Etheria. Something that had the power to destroy planets."

"The First Ones would never-" Adora argued.

Catra held up a finger to her, "Do you want to hear the story or not?"

Adora sighed but nodded for a continuation.

"The First Ones focus on a project called the Heart of Etheria. Here's proof." Catra reached into a drawer of her desk and pulled out a tablet, gifting it to Adora "It's everything we know about the First Ones, with translations, but I doubt you'll need that. They created this thing, using the leylines of the Runestones to sap magic from the planet."

With tablet in hand, she found a folder labeled 'First Ones' There were hundreds of pictures and detailed reports, but just scanning through the first few had given her an idea of the scale. She'd have to sit down with this, even go investigate the sights these photos were taken. It was too much to absorb at the moment, but one word from Catra made her blood freeze "Sap?"

Catra's brows furrowed from the sudden reaction out of her "Yeaaa? It's not really the point of the story."

"Um, sorry, please, continue." Adora, now that the ice had left her veins, feverishly begin looking through the photos. She sort of tuned Catra out as the images slid across the tablet:  _ A weapon, the runestones, a war, rebellion, portals to a different dimension, friends of Mara, a failsafe.  _ What really caught her attention were the leylines that connected the Runestones to the Heart.  _ The tech was familiar with something she had seen in her own world _ . She only registered Catra's voice when she heard her name.

"Are you listening? I know history lessons aren't the most exciting thing in the world but.." Catra crossed her arm over her chest.

Adora set the tablet down "Sorry! I promise I am, you said she broke the sword, but it was already too late? That the planet was out of Despondos and that Horde Prime had caught onto your signal? But I really just want to know what happened to her?"

Catra nodded, appeased enough with her recall to continue, "I get that. Basically, Horde took Glimmer and me, I sent Glimmer back to Adora, and she went on a full sail rescue mission into space to save me. Like an idiot, even when I told her not to. While I was on the Horde's ship, I told Prime about the Heart of Etheria."

Adora cocked her head, "Why would you do that?"

Catra's face flushed "Listen, it's an even longer story, but let's just say that mine and Adora's relationship wasn't best buds at the time. To make it even shorter, I was with the Horde." Catra waved her next set of questions "It's been a long time, and I'm not that girl anymore. I did what I did, and I'm still making amends for it."

She wanted to pry and learn more about the kind of relationship they did share, but Adora would hold off. _ For now. _

"After she saved me, Prime had learned how he could harness the magic without She Ra. He wasn't just going to destroy planets with it. He wanted to wipe out the whole universe to 'Bring Peace'. So Adora did the only thing she could. We found the failsafe, had to fight through our own friends being mind-controlled by Prime to do it. She took it, knowing that only She Ra turn the Heart off without dying in the process."

"But, you said that she broke the sword?"

Catra shrugged and held a small smile "She just started to be able to manifest it on her own. Dunno how. It wasn't a perfect thing, she was still getting used to doing it. So when we went into the Heart, and Horde Prime had already begun inflecting it, it was a stretchy plan at best."

"So she couldn't transform? And she activated the failsafe anyway?"

Catra's smile faded, she patted Melog and avoided her eye contact "Pretty much.. a self-sacrificing idiot to the end."

"And Horde Prime? What happened to him?"

"Adora had this knack for gathering some handy friends. Entrapta, our resident lab geek, was taken prisoner by Prime. He probably picked the worst hostage possible." She laughed a bit, " _ I should know. _ Hordak, the first one we knew, he took her away when Prime was distracted. She got the grand idea of severing the Prime's connection to the rest of them. The clones had this hivemind thing going on with Prime. Anyway, she nearly ripped and fried the hivemind's connection. It nearly tore the clones apart, but after Hordak killed Prime, they sort of attached to him as their new leader. It took a few weeks of negotiation, but Hordak knew that, even without Adora, we could still kick his ass. So, he retired. He's one of the lead engineers now."

"That was a lot more information than I think I can get my head around." Adora rubbed her brow, feeling a headache at the back of her eye. She picked the tablet back up, despite her trouble, "So the First Ones, if they hadn't made this, the Heart, she wouldn't have died."

Catra pushed Melog off her lap, left her chair, "I suppose, but it's not like they made it to kill her. They were doing to destroy other worlds. They wanted to go colonize more, I guess, and with something like the Heart at their disposal, they wouldn't have had a problem doing it." She took the tablet from Adora's hand, setting it back on the desk "Which is why I have a problem with why they're interested in my planet." Catra slipped her arm out of the sling and pinned Adora's wrists to the desk "I've answered a million of your questions, Adora, it's about time you answered one of mine. Why were you sent here? I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure your people don't get hurt, I just don't want anything to happen to my friends."

Her natural instinct was to push Catra's hands off of her, but she resisted. She gritted her teeth.  _ How could she ever do this? How could she turn against her own people? Looking through the tablet, she had put together the pieces but to say it out loud? To confirm her fears and to verify Catra's? _ It was devastating to consider.

Those mismatched eyes slits open and trusting sealed her fate.

"When I was sent here, it was on a scouting mission. To verify that the planet was here and that the teleportation would even work. I was chosen for two reasons. One, the First Ones made me. I wasn't born, it's weird to explain, but they made me. So the likelihood of another Adora being here was slim. Which was important because the same person from different universes meeting would probably open up a black hole and swallow everything around it." Adora's hands fidgetted "Second reason was that if they needed to-"

"They could just make you again. Are you a clone?" Catra confirmed, her eyes wide, but she did not loosen her hold.

"Ehhh?" She shrugged, "Not exactly? But where I come from, magic is scarce. It didn't use to be like that, or so I'm told. For hundreds of thousands of years, my people have used magic from all sorts of different planets. We made new technology and helped people use it for themselves. We've done nothing but good. They didn't tell me this, but I think the reason they sent me here was so that we could sap this universes magic. Starting with Etheria."

***

Catra claws flexed out, digging into Adora's wrists without meaning to "What would they need to do it? To sap the magic out of Etheria?" Her tail flickered. She felt the need to pace, _ for action. _ Melog copied her feelings, shifting back and forward through the room restlessly.

"For a planet? I don't know! When they do it to people-"

"They do it to people!" Catra yelped, finally shoving her hands away from Adora "I can't believe that you would-"

"To criminals! Not good people!"

"I cannot believe you want to protect people like that! Why didn't you just tell me about this before?"

"It's only ever used in serious crimes! And what? You can't tell me some people don't deserve justice!"

They argued over each other nonsensically, yelling over each other's comments and questions until they were at each other's throats. They heard someone clear their throat at the door.

There was a giant piece of metal in the purple-haired woman's arms, probably from an engine. Of course, it would be Entrapta who would not knock before entering and would willingly ignore the sounds of an argument "Hello Catra and alternate universe Adora!" She huffed and set down the contraption in her arms. She was covered in oil grease and reeked of mechanical fluids "I was stopping by on my way to the lab to thank you for allowing me to search the First Ones' ship."

"W-What? Is that from my ship?" Adora looked flabbergasted at what was surely a crucial part of the ship being mercilessly dropped to the floor by the princess.

"Yes! It is. Isn't it exciting? An entirely new era of First Ones tech to explore!" Her purple hair curled around her and nearly lifted her off her feet "I can't wait to take it apart!" She screeched with the joy only a mad scientist of her caliber could.

It gave Catra a good, hardy chuckle before the pain from her shoulder reminded her to stop. 

"Anyways, now that I have properly thanked my friend for the opportunity of tech, I will allow you to get back to your, what did Bow call these? Ah-ha! _ Lovers Quarrel. _ " She picked up the hulking piece of metal with both greasy hands and left the threshold.

"We are not having a lover's quarrel!"

"We are not having a lover's quarrel!"

Each of them echoed after the scientist, but it fell on death ears.

Catra fetched her sling, putting it back on.

"You're just going to let her take my ship apart?" Adora asked, still fueled with some leftover rage of their squabble.

"After what you just told me? Yea. I am. I'm not going against some soul-sapping alternative guys without using what I have at my disposal." Catra picked up her tablet, with the intent to leave the room.

Adora blocked the door, holding her arm across it "You promised that no one was going to get hurt."

"And they won't as long as they decided not to cross the armada I'm about to have ordered hover Etheria." Catra bared her teeth, "Don't try to stop me, Adora."

Adora lowered her arm, and Catra smartly tried to walk through it while she had the chance. The blond grabbed her upper arm, preventing her from walking away "I don't want to be your enemy Catra. I told you what I knew because I trust you. Because I don't want to lose you again, either."

Her heart gave an unforgivable pang. She could see it in those blue eyes just how much she cared, and she didn't know what her other self had done to gain it. She craved that look more than she dared let on. The urge to pull Adora back into the room and not face whatever was coming for them was strong. But she was made of tougher stuff than that "Thank you, Adora. For trusting me. I don't want to have to fight if I can avoid it, but-"

Adora tugged on her arm, pulling her closer "No buts. You promised me. You always keep your promises."

Catra's face flushed bright red, being so close to Adora. As if they hadn't been cuddling less than twenty minutes prior. But it was different now, the tension and ease fluctuated between them so quickly, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to hit her or kiss her. She settled for a nod, "I'll keep my promise, as long as you promise me, no more secrets."

"No more secrets, promise." Adora smiled and released her, but not without kissing Catra's cheek.

Catra's ears drew back, and she sputtered and coughed as she was released. She clutched her tablet to her chest. Her tail fluffed out, and Melog joined her outside of the room. She turned her back on Adora "This doesn't mean I approved of that!"

"Sure, it doesn't!" Adora called back.

  
_ Uuugh. She really needed to get the Princess Alliance together to discuss all of this. She didn't have time for whatever,  _ this _ , was. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope that answered a lot of the questions some of you guys had! The texts of texts that I couldn't spilt up well have me a bit worried but I looking forward to see what you think.


	5. Power and Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting messy. Fast

The meeting was not going well. 

With everything going on, Catra knew that she needed to stay within Greyskull in case she was needed. In the last several hours since her catnap and conversation with Adora, the Greyskull commander had ordered hundreds of ships into orbit and sent thousands of troops to old Horde outposts across Etheria. She had contacted the Alliance, telling them she was moving troops through and within their territories. For some, such as Brightmoon and the Kingdom of Snows, the motion passed quickly, understanding the situation demanded it.

The other princesses were not delighted with Catra's sudden military movement. They started an argument the moment they entered the makeshift meeting room instead of the more elegant meeting hall of Brightmoon. 

Once the thirty or so members had been settled down by the Elemental Princesses, as well as Netossa tying up anyone who had gotten too out of hand, Catra laid bare the news. Adora was back. She was from a different universe, one where the First Ones had not collapsed. The First Ones were currently seeking to invade their world to sap the magic of Etheria for themselves.

Many questions came about of the returned She Ra. And how with her, not even the First Ones, would be able to handle all of Etheria, just like Mara had.

Catra told them that Adora would not help their cause.  _ She was not the Adora they knew.  _ She was loyal to the First Ones, and though she did not agree with them, she would not fight them. It was challenging to say it all. Glimmer helped, but if she were not facing the leaders of the planet, Catra's strong facade might have faded.

It lead to more arguments, more questions of why they had not been informed sooner. How were they going to face a threat like the First Ones? Some even suggested the use of the Heart.

She did not need to contest that one. Glimmer knew the dangers of using the Heart of Etheria, and she dared anyone that wanted to use it would have to go through her. Those that fought in the war against Prime stood right behind the small pink queen.

Frosta, now much older and reserved than she had been in that war, spoke up, "We don't need She Ra, and we don't need a planet-sized weapon to face our enemies." She reclined back in her chair, looking at her nails as if disinterested "I suggest we offer peace, a ceasefire before the fire can even commence." Frosta created a small ice orb in her palm, playing with it.

Catra nodded, "That's the best option we have if we want to keep the peace. It's been nearly a decade since Etheria has seen war, and I want to make it to the anniversary more we send any more of our people to die."

Mermista looked doubtful, "Soo, what's the plan if they don't accept peace?"

Frosta gained a wicked smile "If it's a war they want," Frosta crushed the ice ball in her hand, letting the residue of it fall to the wayside "Then I don't like our chances of defense."

Glimmer's face screwed up in confusion "You can't mean to suggest we attack them? Won't we be at an advantage on our home turf?"

Perfuma cut in, "I hate to admit it, but she is right. If defending means protecting an entire planet with innocent civilian casualties on the line, then I think they would have us beat."

"No! This is crazy!" Catra's hairs stood on end as she slapped the table "We don't even know how to get to another universe! And if we scatter our forces, then we really will be open to attack!" She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and exhaling. Perfuma beamed at her, taking pride in the fact that she had been the one to show Catra some quick meditation and breathing tips to get her temper down. Once she had more control of her volume, she calmed the crowd of princesses, "I know this is scary. However, the enemy came here, for one thing: our magic. They need it. So no matter how much more technologically advanced they are than us, or how much they may or may not outnumber us, we have the upper hand with it. So we need to find a way to use it." She stood from her chair, tail flickering back and forward "I need options. Anyone? Don't be afraid to throw them out."

The room took a moment to contemplate.

Scorpia nudged Catra's good arm and mouthed 'Nice job.'

Catra was glad for this. She was finally able to get control of the room. Which was good, they needed this. She needed this. Being in control made her more at ease. It was something she could control. She could maintain peace and keep her promise to Adora.

Even when Adora was the one thing she could never control.

Her good vibes of the meeting were put on hold as a Hordak came through the doors. Catra pulled him away from the princesses as he approached.

He had the wherewithal to keep his voice down so that the others could not hear them "We were told to inform you there were any oddities, ma'am. It seems that one of our fighters broke rank and is traveling back to the planet. When we tried to contact them, the signal was static. Seems like a minor technical issue but better safe than sorry."

Catra nodded, "Alright, have Entrapta take a look at the ship when they arrive." She dismissed the Hordak.

He gave a stern nod. Some of that old Prime programming, use to following commands, still lingered in some of the Hordaks "Yes Admiral."

The Greyskull commander's brows drew uptight in confusion  _ "Admiral?"  _

***

The second Catra turned the corner, blushing from a kiss to the cheek, a peck really, Adora felt she had lost her sense of self-control. She hovered at the doorway of Catra's room, her blue eyes on the tablet of Catra's writing desk. She had told Catra everything, and even with the Magicat's promise of peace, she could not allow her people to be blindsid _ ed. She also wanted to confirm if it was all true. She couldn't believe that they would hide something like this from her. Stars, she wasn't even sure if her suspicions were correct, it was just a guess. A guess with a lot of proof to back it up. _

Their magic expenditure was at it's highest in recorded history. Among some of the other cadets, there were rumors of rebellion from star sectors that they had held for generations. With scheduled power outages on top of it, Adora knew that this mission had to have something to do with the state of her world, but she could not imagine its scope. Adora also knew that if she did not get into contact with her people, that brokering any kind of peace would be off the table.

Adora rushed back into the room, taking the tablet with her before she felt, acting as if nothing had gone amiss as she passed by clones and Horde soldiers alike. It seemed like within the seconds she spent contemplating her choice, the Keep was buzzing with new energy she had not seen in it. People were moving with purpose now instead of leisure. She had to act fast.

Get a ship, find a way to get a signal back to her people— _ easier thought than done _ .

Adora made her way down a few levels, toward where a bulk of the Keep's population was heading. Getting to the docking bay was hard enough, and the heat from ship exhaust only spoke to how hard it would be to get in one, let alone use it's communication signals. She did spot some smaller, one-man ships, fighters from the looks of it. She noted a Hordak clone was moving with a spring in his step towards one of the smaller crafts. She hated doing it, _ but the clones did seem more gullible.  _

She caught up to his step and nudged his shoulder, "Hey, you ready for the mission?"

The clone nodded, "Yes! It's been a while since I was rotated back to space." They arrived at the ship, "Hope to see you up there!" He finger gunned her, making little 'pew pew' sounds for added effect.

"Wait, this is the ship you were assigned?" She stopped his advance, leaning on the ladder.

"Um? Yes?" He held up the keys. He looked back and forth between the numbers on the ship and the key to verify.

"There must have been a mix-up." She pulled out the craziest lie she could think of to ward off the clone "Admiral Catra herself told me that this would be my ship."

He looked at odds with her but handed over the keys, "Isn't an Admiral a seafaring term?"

Adora shrugged, blushing to her chest before she was caught in the lie "That's what she told me to call her!" She snatched the keys and began climbing into the ship. She couldn't help her nervous mouth "You better start calling her Admiral before she tears your head off for insubordination." She shut the glass hull, locking herself in. It was sad watching the clone have a mini breakdown before he returned to the crowd, talking avidly with others. Maybe she shouldn't have gone so overboard—no time to think about her poor choices now.

Thankfully the controls were easy to navigate. After a slight bump into the ship behind her from reversing, she took off out of the hangar. Once she was clear of any obstacles, she shoved the throttle down hard. Adora had to make this happen quickly. Even with Catra likely distracted at the moment, her absence would be noticed if she took too long.

It was in everyone's best interest that she did this. It was a comforting thought that helped her work through establishing a cross-dimensional commlink. When way too many wires were scattered about her small cockpit, and she felt confident, she sent the request in. Usually, these things took hours to respond, but she was surprised by the quick timing.

"Star Cadet Adora? Is that you?" A female voice patched through, sounding a bit rushed.

"Yes, this is Star Cadet Adora reporting in. Were you able to receive my last message?"

"Yes, though from our end, we got it a few hours after the crash. The time fluctuation between us was larger than we initially predicted."

"How large of a difference? I thought the delay wasn't that big of a deal?"

"Adora, you've been gone for over a month."

Adora sat stunned in her seat. She thought over the timing. She'd been on Etheria for a day, almost two and weeks had gone by back home. She only responded when the telecommunications officer called her name in worry, "Sorry, I'm still here. I just hadn't realized how long it had been."

"It's alright. Your connection is breaking up. That being the case, we're sending down an extraction team. Expect them to arrive soon."

"Wait! There are people here! And I can't leave. I don't have the sword with me."

A new voice hovered on the line; she could just make out the words 'I don't care what it takes, make the connection stronger.' Before she could hear it more clearly, one, she knew very well. Councilwoman Light Hope "Adora, it's good to hear you're safe. We're sending someone to get you. But please, the mission comes first. I need you to tell me everything you've come to know."

Adora swallowed. 

***

They had a plan, and the princesses with all their magic power stuff were going to handle the heavy lifting on this one. Catra's focus had to be on maintaining their defenses until then, which was stressful as it was boring. She spent the rest of the day monitoring her ships' radars, ordering occasional sweeps. When Melog disappeared from her side in search of a meal, she was gratefully reminded to have scanners run for cloaked sources. Scorpia relieved her of her command to act like she was a living being for once when she was in her 'tactical' mode.

As she left the room, Melog returned with a sandwich wrapped in plastic. No doubt pilfered from some unsuspecting kitchen Hordak's supply. She rubbed their mane in thanks. Lying down for a few hours would be nice, but an urge in her that she couldn't quelch wanted to seek out Adora. Catra had kept to her word and yearned to let her know that the Princess Alliance would like to do this amicably. If she could convince Adora to be an ambassador of sorts, it would look less like a hostage negotiation. 

Speaking of which, the Sword of Protection had swung to mind. She had backlashed at Adora over it. Over something that Adora simply wanted to help her with. Yet that old anxious habit of hers broke out. It was one of those things she was still working on. But it didn't mean she couldn't make amends.

"Hey, Melog, go find Adora for me. Bring her to my room." She asked, and the cat nodded, dropping their nose to the ground and in the air, catching a scent before they blinked out of sight.

Catra, her appetite lost after half of the sandwich, but continued to eat lazily as she walked back up to Entrapta's lab. The lab geek was off with the Princesses as she was an essential part of the plan, so it was empty and silent save for the whirling of machinery. Her ears twitched, picking up the sound of footsteps. Several footsteps. Instinctually, she left her sandwich on a desk and took to the shadows, trying to get eyes on whoever else was in here.

"... don't bring it back. She will have all of our heads." She didn't recognize that voice. Using one arm was hard, but she leaped up and pulled herself into the overhang.

"I know, it's just. I don't think this is the right way to do it." That was Adora. She spotted her along with three others, dressed in the same spacesuits Adora had when she first arrived. They had entered through a window from the looks of it. Why weren't they locked?

A pause followed. One of the, what she presumed to be First Ones, grabbed Adora's shoulders, "I promise, it'll be better for everyone once this is all over."

Catra crawled above them, getting a good look at them now as they walked to where the sword had been placed in a cabinet of wood and glass, a light overhanging it.

The anger she always worked so hard to maintain snapped in Catra as Adora withdrew the sword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took so long. I have an idea of where I want this story to go so this chapter took a lot more planning than I realized but I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> You made it this far, great! Let me know how I'm doing. Honestly really nervous posting this, because this is not how I usually write. So anything you have to say helps.


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